Aston Villa are the real deal in title race after Arsenal win and Unai Emery knows it

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For a man whose celebrations are not always too animated, Unai Emery almost took leave of his senses. It is quite possible even the springiest of centre-forwards has not leapt as high at this grand old venue as the Aston Villa manager did when Emi Buendia hit the most dramatic of winners deep, deep into added time. Deep, as in the last meaningful kick of the game.

After Peter Bankes had called time after VAR confirmed there was nothing amiss in Buendia’s goal, Emery was in a state of relative calm and performed his usual, very admirable pre-match routine. A firm shake of Mikel Arteta's hand and then the briskest of walks to the tunnel, smiling and acknowledging the acclaim as he almost breaks into a jog. He is out of there, leaving the ovation for his men, for players who thoroughly deserved what could be a landmark win in their season.

Ahead of the match, Emery had been at pains to stress how much he has disliked the creeping suggestion that Aston Villa are seriously involved in the Premier League title race. Well, he can dislike as much as he likes. They are involved. Very much involved.

They are THE form team in England and, as shown by the contributions of Donyell Malen (who caused much Arsenal consternation) and Buendia, they have serious strength in depth.

Don’t forget, two of Villa’s three Premier League losses came before the summer transfer window closed. And with speculation that key players Ollie Watkins and Eli Martinez might move, the club was in a period of considerable uncertainty. But now they seem to be in a period of considerable certainty. In everything they do.

Arsenal had their moments in this highly enjoyable encounter, substitute Leandro Trossard cancelling out Matty Cash’s opener early in the second half, but Villa were the better team. Before the Buendia winner, coolly converted after an almighty scramble, David Raya had been forced to make two excellent saves to deny Ollie Watkins.

The Villa striker looked unhappy to be replaced by Malen and that was understandable - he had given a makeshift Arsenal backline a torrid time and all that was missing from his performance was a goal. But once again, Emery got it right. He got it spot-on. Malen refreshed Vila’s threat and, in the end, Arsenal could not cope.

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There will be those who see this late concession and defeat as a sign that Arsenal could wilt again but that is faintly ridiculous. They were without key defenders and, quite simply, were up against a team whose confidence is sky-high.

Villa have won nine of their last ten Premier League games - the first time they have had as many as nine wins in a 10-game spell in the top-flight since December, 1919. And had Arsenal actually gone on to sneak a victory after the Trossard equaliser, it would have been harsh on Villa but not too harsh.

These teams were that closely matched. What might concern Arteta is that some of his players looked just a little jaded, Eberechi Eze being one.

He made way for Trossard at half-time and Arsenal stepped up a gear and enjoyed a 20-minute spell when they dominated. But physically, they appeared to fade and Villa looked the more vibrant and the more imposing in the last quarter of the game.

And that proved decisive as Buendia kept his composure to send Emery airborne. He soon came down to earth but he can no longer deny it … this is a Villa team that could be flying high at the end of this wide-open Premier League season.

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